Inside the J Ruhl Dance Krew

I am currently in the middle of a move from my Burke apartment into a house in Oakton, which always tosses everything up in the air. I will be starting my new job February 19th, since we have Presidents' Day off work as a holiday. Yesterday I went into the new job and recieved my benefits package. So now I have to figure out how to fill all that paperwork out so that I can recieve benfits. I also went out this weekend and bought a few new business suits that I can wear to the new job. Appearances speak for themselves and first impressions are never easily forgotten. Even if I am clueless as to what I am doing, I intend to look great doing it.

Every Saturday, I have been rehearsing with the J Ruhl Dance Krew, led by Jenn Ruhl Kubilis out of the Chris Collins Dance Studio in Alexandria, VA. Originally we had been focusing on dancing in a club setting as an easy way to make money to fund our contemporary performances. But for some reason, Jenn informed us, her dancers, that the club thing wasn't working out exactly how she wanted. So the past three weeks or so, our focus during rehearsals has been more on contemporary choreography. To start with, Jenn is teaching us the repetoire of the choreography she did at Mason. She plans to restage and recast three of her pieces ("Organized Chaos," "Falling From Grace," and "Split Personality") into a three-part piece. A percussionist friend of hers has been rehearsing with us to possibly use as live music for the performance. She also told us that she will set original work on us dancers starting this upcoming Saturday.

As far as performance opportunities, there is possible talk about an upcoming choreographer's showcase for which we would have to audition. I like Jenn's style of dancing because it can be stylized and emotionally expressive, as well as physical and funky. Since the undertaking of this full-time job, J Ruhl Dance Krew has been my only creative outlet as far as dance is concerned. It fits into my schedule well because I know Jenn has a full time job, so we have only rehearsed on Saturdays thus far. I am unaware of the official number of company members, because some people attend more regularly than others. I am usually always there and there are about five other people that I regularly see in rehearsal. I look forward to seeing how this company will grow in the future.

Also, before I begin my new job, I am doing my best to finish setting choreography on the 25 children of the Young Actor's Theatre at the Reston Community Center. Their performance is March 8, I believe. I have finished one dance with the children, so now I have two more to set. Normally we rehearse on Fridays, but once I begin this job I won't make it in time. So before I begin work at MacArthur I want to get as much done as I can. After I start the job, I will probably have to come in for some time on Saturdays to rehearse and clean their dances. I am just trying not to skip out on the kids since it will be my last teaching opportunity for a while.